Investigating the Role of Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Rural Development with Emphasis on Handicraft (Case Study: Villages of Central District in Anar County)

Rural development has a deep connection with economic growth and social security. In this regard, empowerment and capacity building and achieving sustainable development in rural areas are necessary. It is also required that a good explanation of the grounds for job creation in rural areas is provided to improve the economic situation in rural areas. Entrepreneurs are those that are compatible with the characteristics of today's world. Thus, for economic growth, we need the survival and continuation of activities of these people. One of the effective economic mechanisms in the field of entrepreneurship that can provide sustainable rural development is rehabilitation and development of handicrafts. Handicrafts in Anar has roots in the distant past, and many of its handicraft are now vanished. Only a few types of handicrafts have remained in traditional and experimental form. However, in recent years, new and diverse handicrafts have been developed among the youth by Cultural Heritage Organization and some public and private schools. In this study, an attempt is made to answer this question: What is the impact of the function and role of entrepreneurial projects (with an emphasis on crafts) on sustainable rural development? In order to answer this question, the theoretical framework was designed according to which the role of entrepreneurial plans and supporting rural handicrafts and its consequences were investigated in terms of economic impact (income, employment, land prices and variety of activities) and social effects (immigration, welfare, security and partnerships) to achieve rural development in villages of central city of Anar.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: The best strategy to meet the challenges, especially the economy in rural areas, is encouraging the villagers to start "family business" through entrepreneurship. Thus, now the effort of people of rural areas to achieve economic sustainability can have increased by using local entrepreneurs because of the focus on the local economic resources through the development of entrepreneurship is one of the modes of economic development in these areas. In this regard, one can refer to Pakistan. Small businesses and industries form 48% of factories and industries in this country. 48% of industrial workers work on rural handicraft industry. One of the common features found in most handicraft is that they are made by using simple tools and very different from the production methods by the ancients. In order to achieve the development of rural industries using local knowledge is essential. It is based on the experiences of indigenous experience, and it is often transmitted verbally in the form of heritage. It is acquired via repeated use over time, tested and is compatible with the environment and local culture.
This study seeks to explain and examine the role of entrepreneurial plans, especially occupations related to handicrafts, in the development of rural areas of the central city of Anar based on the economic and social indicators of the impact of these projects on the survival rates of population, social welfare, income and rural employment. This research is a quantitative research, using descriptive-analytical data. For data analysis, one sample T-test and multivariate linear regression in SPSS software has been used. The instrument reliability was assessed by using Cronbach's alpha techniques 6 and it was 0.86, which indicates the reliability of the instrument.
The results of t-test showed that from the variables, only one has a mean higher than 4, which belongs to the "variable of employment for rural women". In addition to income and entrepreneurship, the employment of rural women indirectly affects the survival of the rural population. After this variable that have the greatest impact among other variables, it accounted for rural development (economic dimension) and (social dimension) in the study area. In the majority of cases, the mean value obtained is a number between 3 and 4. That means in most cases, the means are slightly higher than average, which indicates the formation of the changes caused by the influence of handicrafts in such areas. In four cases of variables, the means were below the national average. The level of significance shows that, in four of the variables "efficient use of uncultivated and barren lands" (0.053), "immigration from outside the village" (0.045), "legislation, support for producers in the field of handicrafts "(0.031) and" qualitative and quantitative development of infrastructure communications"(0.017) the significance level was higher than the alpha level 0.05. Therefore, it can be said that economic aspect of the development of rural handicrafts had the highest influence on rural areas discussed in this study.
Handicraft is considered as an art by many. The fields of handicraft in the villages of the city, carpet weaving is more common. But those who are active in this area receive little income they use traditional methods and produce rugs that have less monetary value. To fix this problem, strong management and permanent planning can be used to design a framework and roadmap for activists in this field. In rural areas of the studied city, the establishment of craft has caused diversification and the creation of employment and income in the economy, reduction of rural migration, improvement of infrastructure and increase in social participation. However, it has not been successful in reducing the cost of land, efficient use of wastelands and barren, immigration from outside the village, attracting private sector investment, job and legal security of villagers. According to figures obtained from the multiple regression test; handicrafts in rural development area is 0.70 effective, which shows its significant role in the development of villages in Anar. In this regard, on the basis of the dimensions mentioned above, the economy (3.33) compared to the social dimension (21.3) is more effective in rural development.